Sydney FC To Host EPL Giants Tottenham Hotspur

Sydney FC will play host to English Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur in an exclusive one-off match to be played at ANZ Stadium on Saturday, 30 May.

The eight times FA Cup winners will bring their best available squad to Sydney – including Harry Kane, arguably the hottest young player in the EPL – for the clash with the in-form Sky Blues.

“I am delighted to be able to confirm that Sydney FC will compete against one of English football’s top clubs, Tottenham Hotspur,” said Sydney FC Chairman Scott Barlow.

“This will be a fantastic occasion for this city and one for all Sydney FC supporters and Sydneysiders to get excited about.

“Tottenham Hotspur are one of the biggest and most glamourous football clubs and share our philosophy of exciting, attacking football on the pitch and an iconic, premium brand off it,” he continued.

“This has the potential to be the most anticipated game of the year and will stand out as a highlight in the 2015 sporting calendar.”

Tottenham are the only Premier League football club visiting Sydney this year, and it will be the first time an EPL club has played against a Hyundai A-League club in the city since the Sky Blues met Everton coincidentally at ANZ Stadium and Blackburn Rovers in 2010.

The Sky Blues have played two further big games out at Sydney Olympic Park, more recently in 2012 when Alessandro Del Piero played the 800th game of his career, scoring in a 2-1 win over Perth Glory, and also in front of a capacity crowd of over 80,000 in 2007 when David Beckham and LA Galaxy took on the Sydneysiders in a heated encounter, with the Sky Blues running out 5-3 winners.

Spurs will bring a squad of world class players to face Sydney FC which will include rising superstar Harry Kane, Danish midfield wizard Christian Eriksen and champion French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

Kane, 21, is tipped to make his debut for the England national team in the World Cup qualifier against Lithuania at Wembley on 27 March. He’s the latest in a string of superstars to emerge through the Tottenham youth assembly line.

Head Coach Graham Arnold said: “It will be a wonderful experience for our players to test themselves against some of the best footballers in the world.

“Tottenham are one of the biggest clubs in the English Premier League and have a fantastic record and history.

“We are looking forward to finishing off our season on a high with this game.”

Mauricio Pochettino’s team will travel to Sydney following the end of the 2014-15 Barclays Premier League campaign to face the two-time Hyundai A-League champions.

Head Coach Pochettino said: “We are looking forward to visiting Sydney and giving our fans in that part of the world an opportunity to see the team up close.

“We all appreciate the fantastic support we receive across the world and the commitment that people in different time zones make to watch games live on TV, so to bring the team to them is a great way to say thank you.

“Our match against Sydney FC is sure to be hard-fought and entertaining, with the A-League becoming stronger every year and attracting some big name players, so we would like to thank the New South Wales Government and Destination New South Wales for the chance to visit your beautiful city.”

Daniel Levy, Chairman, Tottenham Hotspur, added: “The visit to Sydney will provide the Club with a perfect opportunity to engage with a growing fanbase across the Asia-Pacific region and an extremely passionate Official Supporters Club in Oz Spurs.

“We are proud of our global network of over 100 Official Supporters Clubs, and no doubt we shall see members from clubs across the region pack out the ANZ Stadium to watch us play Sydney FC on Saturday May 30.”

In announcing the exclusive one-match visit by Tottenham to Sydney, Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Troy Grant, said: “Tottenham Hotspur has been a football institution for over 130 years, and I am pleased to announce they will be playing exclusively in Sydney. Spurs have promised to bring a full-strength squad to Sydney, and with Sydney FC in great form at the moment it will be a closely fought match.

“The game will be a must-see for all football fans, and will attract a huge crowd. The event has been won for Sydney by the NSW Government, through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, and will provide a boost to the local visitor economy.”

Tottenham Hotspur have been an institution in English football since their establishment in 1882. They have a massive following throughout Australasia with dedicated supporter groups meeting regularly at local clubs to follow the exploits of a team annually ranked within the English Premier League top-6.

ANZ Stadium Managing Director, Mr Daryl Kerry, said the visit by Tottenham Hotspur FC ensured Sydney would host its third successive international football superclub.

“Sydney is a big events city and this is an event that will capture the imagination of sports fans around the country and even internationally,” Mr Kerry said.

“The NSW Government should be congratulated on securing yet another major event for Sydney that will ensure the city rolls out a sporting week to remember at its Olympic stadium.

“In terms of football, Manchester United put on a five-goal masterclass in 2013, last year we witnessed Alessandro Del Piero’s emotional Australian farewell against his former club Juventus . . . and now we have a club in Tottenham Hotspur that has been lighting up the English Premier League coming to do battle with in-form Sydney FC.”

Tickets for the game go on sale from 10am Monday 9 March, with an exclusive pre-sale for Sydney FC Members, details to follow on Monday. Further pre-sales will follow, with tickets on sale to the general public from 1pm Wednesday 11 March.

Sydney FC’s next home game is against Brisbane Roar on Sunday 15th March at Allianz Stadium (kick off 5pm). Purchase tickets today or become a Member and ensure you don’t miss a moment of Hyundai A-League action by heading to www.ticketek.com.au/sydneyfc